Culture Shock
by Fizzy Starburst
Summary: Brazilians are very physically affectionate. Linda Gunderson learns this the hard way, days before her flight home to Minnesota, when dinner with Tulio's family takes an unexpected turn and she begins to question the nature of her relationship with the ornithologist. Rated for language. One shot.


**AN: First time writing for Rio, and my Portuguese came from Google Translate, so I apologize in advance if it's wonky. If it isn't made abundantly clear by the lack of birds in this story, I do not own Rio.**

**This has since been through some minor edits due to a couple of grammatical errors I only caught the second time reading it in full.**

She had known since the night of Carnival. Or, at least, she thought she'd known. The way he was staring at her…but maybe that was because she was practically naked and all men are pigs. But still, they had almost kissed, hadn't they? Or maybe she had made that up. Maybe it was wishful thinking on her half. Things after that night seemed somewhere between friendship and a relationship. Or at least that's what she thought. After all, she'd never been in a relationship before. Whatever this was with Tulio was the closest she'd ever gotten.

She supposed that maybe it was because they both knew the inevitable truth. As soon as Blu adjusted to life in the wild, she was going back home. And maybe that's why she kept finding little things to keep Blu from being perfectly adjusted – his stomach wasn't used to bugs as he'd been fed bird seed all his life, or that he was still only learning to fly and he could hurt himself. So she wouldn't have to leave. She wouldn't have to return to Minnesota and be completely alone. She wouldn't have to be away from Tulio. Lately, she couldn't figure out which one she was lamenting more.

But one thing was for sure – her plane ticket was bought. She was going home in five days. She remembered because it was exactly a week before her flight when Tulio sprung a family dinner on her. His entire family got together once a month for dinner – that much she knew. He'd gone to a fair share of them with the amount of time she'd spent in Rio. But all of sudden, two days ago, he'd dropped the bomb on her. That it was going to be at his place this month. And no, of course he didn't want her to stay at a hotel that night.

Her very first feeling about the whole ordeal was confusion. But it was only a few minutes later when the second realization set in. He had, for all intents and purposes, invited her to meet his parents. And for those last two days, she pushed thoughts of going back to Minnesota aside, instead choosing to bask in the giddy glow of believing that for the first time in her life, Linda Gunderson was in a relationship.

Dinner with his family snapped that giddiness out of her faster than maple syrup freezing on fresh snow.

"Red hair girl!" his mother had called as everyone was cleaning up.

Absolutely terrified and shaking, Linda had approached her. "Uh…s-sure, what um, is it that you need?"

Making sure that they were the only two left in the kitchen, Tulio's mother shut the door tightly. "I see the way you look at my son. I'm warning you, he does not return the feelings."

Well, that came straight the hell out of nowhere. Clearing her throat, Linda tried to put her thoughts in order "I'm sorry…but…it's just…I mean…what?"

"Brazilian men," the older woman began "No. Brazilians in general," she corrected herself "are very affectionate. Always touching, holding, kissing…is foreign to you Americans. The whole dinner, Tulio did not lay a finger on you. I am not wanting you to be getting hurt." She tried her voice kinder.

Linda didn't want to believe it. But now that it was all out in the open, suddenly it all made sense. The public displays of affection on the street that made her uncomfortable but Tulio never seemed to bat an eyelash. The way his brothers had all kissed her on the hand when they met her. The dentist dressed like a whore for Carnival. Tulio had no interest in romancing her, ever. She liked birds and he liked birds and he wanted to have a friend to talk about them with. She could understand that. After all, it wasn't like many people in Minnesota marveled over the brain of her Blue Spix's McCaw.

And over hearing a conversation about how Tulio's younger brother was now dating his high school sweetheart ("Hehe, remember! You couldn't keep your hands off her! I'm surprised you two didn't choke on each other's tongues! But hey, you warmed her up for me, big bro!") only rubbed salt into the already fresh wound.

That's why she found herself packing to go home five days early. As much of the thought of being away from Blu, and being away from _him _stung, she couldn't stay. She needed to get back home, away from the embarrassment she felt every time she looked at him. And to think, she spent almost five months here! Nearly five months of believing that maybe if she put on a little makeup every morning he'd notice. Five months of what had become completely normal and daily routines of stimulating conversation with the one person she'd ever honestly felt a connection with.

She could just pick up leave, she decided. The airport would charge a change fee for leaving earlier, but she decided it was worth it. Her bags were packed and the next morning, she'd be home to Minnesota.

Or at least, that's what the plan had been. Apparently, lugging around a suitcase filled with months worth of memories created more noise than she would've thought. "Linda?" Tulio asked from the doorway, his face and voice etched with confusion "I thought you didn't leave until Friday…?"

"I don't. I didn't. I…oh god." She mumbled, running a hand through her hair. "I'm going home." She finally managed to get out. "I'm sorry…it's just where I need to be right now." She finished, her volume dropping with every syllable.

"Did something happen?" he asked, concerned, now crossing the before untouched boundary and stepping into the room the girl occupied for the past handful of months. "Was it something I did?"

"No, no, no no no no." she replied as she packed shoes in a manner than could only be described as aggressive. "I mean, it's not your fault I was stupid to think someone like you could ever like someone like me…"

And immediately, she tensed. Her entire body went stiff. There it was, out in the open. It had hung in the air for months, but for the first time, it was tangible. An uncomfortable silent passed, and more than anything, Linda just wanted to get back to Minnesota.

"Linda…" he tried, his thoughts scrambled.

"Don't." she managed to squeak out. "I don't need…I don't _want _your pity, okay?" she asked, her voice growing more powerful, but only because she was trying so damn hard to just _not _cry.

Tulio stepped closer, raising a hand to rest it on her shoulder, but ultimately deciding against it. "I don't understand where this is coming from. I thought I made it clear…"

"And you did!" Linda replied, nodding eagerly. "You did make it _very _clear. I was just too wrapped up in my childish fairy tale that I…"

"Linda!" he cried aggressively, grabbing her by the shoulders, effectively cutting her off. His voice softened as he told her, while holding her gaze "I do like you. I like you a lot. And…and if you really wanted to leave you could've months ago." He admitted with a sigh "I was making up reasons to keep you here with me, and…"

His words came grinding to a halt when Linda instinctively wrapped her arms around his middle. He took the opportunity to wrap his arms around the small of waist, pulling her in, feeling her body pressed against his own. After all, if she was serious about leaving, he reasoned that this might be the only chance he had left. It was a decision he instantaneously regretted. It felt better than he could've ever imagined, to have her so close. If she left now, he'd feel empty for the rest of his life.

Slowly and wordlessly, he bent his head down to gently place a kiss on the girl's forehead. Due to the height difference and the nature of the hug, he wasn't able to – it was more like kissing her hairline. But she was leaving and he loved her and he would take what he could get.

The thought came so easily that he almost didn't notice it at first. He loved her. He honestly, truly, loved Linda Gunderson. And whether or not she left tomorrow, in less than a week he would never see her again. And that thought absolutely terrified him.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed that she had pulled away from him, eyes wide and full of confusion, until she began to speak. "Tulio…what is this?" she asked "I thought I knew. I mean, I thought I had at least an idea, but then your mom brought up about Brazilians and public displays of affection and…"

"Oh my…" he gasped "Is that what this is about?" he asked. "Linda, believe me, had you been Brazilian…I would've been all over you." He chuckled before explaining "But, I know you're from America. And in America things are different, and I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable."

Well. This was news to the redhead. "Really? Because I thought…I mean…I guess…but you…"

As the girl babbled, Tulio couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "Linda, belíssimo, maravilhoso, perfeição." he practically purred as he gently cupped her face in his hands. "Stay." He pleaded simply.

His voice made her weak in the knees, and in that moment, more than anything else in the world, she wanted to submit to his request. She could stay here, she could be with him, she could visit Blu in the wild…

"I…I can't." she replied, her voice trembling and barely above a whisper. "There's the bookstore and the language barrier and I'm not even a legal citizen…" tears started to trickle down her face. This was too much for her to go through in the span of a few hours.

She couldn't even tell you how it happened, but within moments she had received her first kiss. And her second. And her third. And many more consecutive kisses, as Tulio's soft lips began exploring the feeling of being against her own. And her cheek. And her jawline. And her neck. And oh sweet lord, that spot between her neck and her shoulder.

"Go to sleep, amor." He mumbled into her ear once the trail of kisses was nearing its end. "We'll talk about the rest tomorrow, yes?"

And in that moment, that answer was good enough for both of them.


End file.
